Pupils share Christmas story

As Riley Armant (left) reads part of a passage about the birth of Jesus, first-graders Miles McLoughlin, Connor Talley and Glen Owen present the Posada to a class of fourth-graders at Episcopal Day School.

They have been passing a Posada, which is Spanish for "inn," from grade to grade in celebration of Advent. The pupils will add baby Jesus to the Posada on Christmas Day and the Wise Men at Epiphany.

While the Posada is in their classroom, pupils learn about Mary and Joseph and their travels. They also create an electronic journal and take digital photos of the Posada's travels through the school.

"The biggest goal was to help the children prepare for Christmas, the true meaning of Christmas, by preparing their hearts and preparing their minds," said Virginia Veale, a third-grade teacher who organized the activity for the school.

Friday, the first-graders, who had the Posada since Dec. 3, carried it to the fourth grade class, which then welcomed the Posada by saying the Liturgy and preparing a special place for it.

The first-graders said that they enjoyed having the Posada in their classrooms and were eager to share what they had learned.

"It's about Jesus being born on the holiday of Christmas," said Miles McLoughlin.

"Mary and Joseph had a long way to go, and there were no rooms left. So they had to stay in the Posada," said McNeill Franklin.

Classes have also done activities revolving around the Posada, such as mapping Mary and Joseph's path to Bethlehem, learning about Advent, and learning songs that would be sung during the nine-day Spanish festival called Las Posadas.

The Posada will continue to travel from grade to grade through Epiphany.